Only five police officers lose jobs for misconduct

In two thirds of the 48 cases directed by the Independent Office for Police Conduct, “gross misconduct” charges were not proved.

There were 48 directing hearings across 19 police forces in the three years to October 2018.

In 33 cases gross misconduct, the highest level of disciplinary charges that can result in sacking, was not proved. Charges were upheld against 15 police officers—five were sacked and ten received other sanctions.

Nearly half of officers who in October were listed as “suspended from duty” had been suspended for at least a year.

A Metropolitan Police officer suspended since 2014, who has been paid more than £150,000, has retrained as a priest.

PANIC! ok, now breathe. Troublemaker is happy to bring to the readers’ attention the Deluxe Brexit Box to start your Brexit Stockpile. It has a stove and 60 servings of main meals, 26 breakfast servings, 23 dessert servings and 48 portions of meat and some other stuff. A snip at £595 (reduced from £635). You can have the non-deluxe version for £295. But you deserve the best.

Rich racist Nigel Farage chartering a private jet to fly to Strasbourg puts another dent in his man of the people nonsense. The MEP trousers up to £700,000 on top of his £90,000 EU salary. Farage bragged about a mystery businessman paying for the flights.

Abuse cops on trial over fake evidence

Detective Constable Sharon Patterson and Lee Pollard, a former detective constable, are accused of forging documents and concealing evidence over three years.

They allegedly forged pages purporting to be from prosecution lawyers.

The two are accused of misconduct in public office in Essex police’s child abuse investigation team between 2011 and 2014.

Pollard is further accused of deliberately destroying four photographs that were “relevant and important exhibits”, and Patterson is said to have forged a witness statement.

The officers, who live together in Colchester, deny the charges.

One allegation against Patterson involves a teenager who said that she was regularly raped by her father for five years from the age of six.

Her account was supported by a sister’s previous allegations, and the mother gave “highly relevant” details when interviewed by Patterson.

But the officer instead recorded that she was “unwilling” to make a statement.

She advised a supervisor that the claims were those of a “bitter” ex-wife trying to make life difficult for her former husband. The investigation was dropped.

The trial continues.

Failing Free school shuts

Tech City College in Islington, north London, is to close.

Back in 2014 Islington teachers warned that the proposed free school threatened to create a “wild west” of schooling provision.

Tech City College was a new name given to the college when it was taken over by new private sponsors having failed an Ofsted inspection.

It is closing in the summer due to being “financially unsustainable” with only 49 students.

The Things They Say

‘People keep saying—down with the rich ’

The queen’s nephew, the 2nd Earl of Snowdon, complains that people don’t understand how hard it is to be wealthy

‘Politically correct nonsense. The National Trust is kowtowing to left-wing populism’

Robin Page of the Countryside Restoration Trust describes the National Trust’s plans to remember Peterloo Massacre

‘Animal rights headbangers’

Odious Daily Mail columnist Richard Littlejohn on opposition to penguins being put on an ice rink

‘Did anyone ask the penguins?’

Littlejohn loses it

‘I’m surprised that Prince Philip hasn’t felt he wants to contact me and inquire as to how I am’

Emma Fairweather, who was injured in the car crash involving the Duke of Edinburgh